beginnerobservewarm-up
5 WhysThis is a very simple method for digging deep into the mind and background of users and their behaviour.
5 – 15 min1 – 2 Participantsworkshopusersbrainstorming
+2
Open in FigJam
Summary
As the title of this method already is very self-explanatory, you will ask the question “why” five times to the person you are talking to. Each time you ask “why”, you are forcing the re-evaluation of the position of your dialogue partner. While it may feel odd at first, you will soon reach the root (causes) of their behaviours.
Step-by-step
  1. Listen carefully to what is being said.
  2. Ask "why” to question the statement of your counterpart that you just heard. This question encourages to think more carefully about what is the cause of a topic or problem.
  3. Repeat the same question five times to get deeper into the problem.
What you need
  • 5 Whys template
External resources
Do you have a question?
These methods might seem simple, but applying them in a real project is another story. We’re there to help. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at the User Experience Strategy & Design team.
Ask Away!
Explore similar methods
Moodboardsideate
1+ Participants
60 – 90 min

Visualize your ideas fast and early in your research phase.

Netnographyobserve
1+ Participants
4 h – 4 d

Observe different online communities and their behaviours.

Golden Circlestrategize
1+ Participants
35 – 50 min

Three questions to a successful product or service.

Dot Codingstrategize
2 – 20 Participants
20 – 60 min

Define and organize expectations and opinions on a projects facets within a team or even between multiple teams.

6 Thinking Hatsobserve
6+ Participants
45 – 90 min

Spot quality ideas after having generated a good amount of output.